Comment: The following letter appeared in the Sunday Mail of Nicosia on 3 April 2005.

Fed up with British policy

"I am getting very annoyed with the current British government in constantly downplaying the wrongful actions of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots... but still Turkey will not recognise the Republic of Cyprus... Britain, as a guarantor power under the 1960 Cyprus agreement and an EU member, should be putting more diplomatic pressure on Turkey to recognise the Republic and for Turkey to withdraw its troops from the island and take back all their illegal settlers that are sitting on Greek properties if any future fair deal is reached... Instead, the current British government is so hell bent on admitting Turkey into the EU it wants quick fix solutions such as the Annan plan, which meets all of Turkey’s requirements, and is putting pressure on the Greek Cypriots to accept any loose-worded deal that pleases Turkey... Anyone would think that Britain has zero unemployment, that it needs thousands of Turks who will end up on their shores in search of better work opportunities if and when they join the EU. Instead of defending a fellow EU member state in the Republic of Cyprus, the British government chooses to appease the Turks with every chance they get... In the end, the British people should be asked in a referendum whether they want the Turks or not in the EU. Turkey needs the EU more than the EU needs Turkey."

Sir,

As an Australian citizen with an Italian father and Greek Cypriot
mother I feel compelled to write to you. I am getting very annoyed with
the current British government in constantly downplaying the wrongful
actions of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Turkey will now grudgingly sign the customs agreement to include
10 new EU members which includes Cyprus, but still Turkey will not
recognise the Republic of Cyprus. How does this work? You either
recognise the Republic or not.

Britain, as a guarantor power under the 1960 Cyprus agreement and
an EU member, should be putting more diplomatic pressure on Turkey to
recognise the Republic and for Turkey to withdraw its troops from the
island and take back all their illegal settlers that are sitting on
Greek properties if any future fair deal is reached.

Instead, the current British government is so hell bent on
admitting Turkey into the EU it wants quick fix solutions such as the
Annan plan, which meets all of Turkey’s requirements, and is putting
pressure on the Greek Cypriots to accept any loose-worded deal that
pleases Turkey.

Anyone would think that Britain has zero unemployment, that it
needs thousands of Turks who will end up on their shores in search of
better work opportunities if and when they join the EU. Instead of
defending a fellow EU member state in the Republic of Cyprus, the
British government chooses to appease the Turks with every chance they
get.

In the end, the British people should be asked in a referendum
whether they want the Turks or not in the EU. Turkey needs the EU more
than the EU needs Turkey."